Crank 2: High Voltage (BD)

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crank2

In the original movie, "Crank" (2006), we heard the lead actor utter the words, "My name is Chev Chelios, and this is the day I die." Apparently, Chev did not die, and he is back. "Crank" represented a new concept: high energy driven by a fast-paced story with over-the-top violence and sex. "Crank" was an instantaneous cult hit, in spite of its only generating $28 million at the box office. In Hollywood where sex and violence sells, the cult status of "Crank" ensured that the directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor were back pumping new life into Chev Chelios in this high-octane sequel.


"Crank 2: High Voltage" (2009) picks up at the point where "Crank" ends. We see Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) falling from a helicopter. Soon after reaching the ground, Chev is captured by a group of Chinese thugs. He soon discovers that his heart is taken out and is replaced by an electronic one that runs on a battery. He meets his girlfriend, Eve (Amy Smart) in a strip club, who later finds out that he is an assassin. On the run from two gangs--a Mexican gang headed by El Huron (Efren Ramirez) and a Chinese gang led by Poon Doong (David Carradine)--Chev weaves his way through the streets of Los Angeles to find the real perpetrators who stole his heart. Along the way, Chev is helped by his old friend, Doc (Dwight Yoakum), who routinely provides him with key tips to energize his artificial heart.


Though entertaining, I am not a big fan "Crank," and my expectations were fairly low from this inevitable sequel. The grotesque violence and gore shown in "Crank 2" is over the top and out of context. A few minutes into the movie, we see Chev undergoing a heart transplant. Chev is semi-sedated while all of this is happening. Of course, we get a sneak peek at his blood-soaked body and internal parts. In another scene, Huron is upset that Chev managed to escape. As a punishment for his mistake, the leader of Huron's gang is ordered to cut off both of his nipples. The scene just makes you cringe in disgust. And then there is a kneecap-cutting scene. More so, Chev leaves an insurmountable trail of dead bodies in the quest to find his pristine heart. The excessive violence does not hide the fact that "Crank 2" has a thin storyline.


The opening half hour of the movie feels like you are playing a video game. The hero (Chev) is locked up in a facility with no access to the external world. Later, the hero kills everyone, thereby escaping from the facility and gaining access to a gun and a cell phone. You see the hero stealing cars and running from gangs and cops. The movie proceeds like a combination of mini missions in which the success of each mission provides a further step in the story. It is this video-game format that might click with action fans.


"Crank 2" is deliberately meant to be an over-the-top extravaganza in which you either connect or completely disconnect. There is no middle ground if you take this thrilling ride with Chev. As expected, the story moves along at a breakneck pace but runs out of steam by the time the movie reaches its climax. "Crank 2" adheres to the template of "Crank." As a result, "Crank 2" feels just like the first movie. Fans who loved "Crank" are expected to find "Crank 2" equally entertaining and mindless.


Video:
The directors reveal in the extras that they shot "Crank 2" on a very limited budget. Consequently, the directors had to use a combination of handheld consumer hi-def camcorders and professional cameras, with handheld cameras used for the majority of the shooting time. In spite of this, just like its predecessor ("Crank"), the video quality of this Blu-ray does not disappoint. Lionsgate has rendered a top-notch high-def transfer in the 1.85:1 widescreen format, encoded in an AVC format that averages about 20 -25 Mpbs. The opening shots do indicate a fair amount of grain, but it eventually clears up as the movie progresses. Further, I noticed grain to be mildly evident in dark and gloomy scenes, which is probably what the directors intended. The grain provides a more film-like experience, especially for "Crank 2," where the gritty look is necessary for the overall film composition. The outdoor scenes look beautiful, with a perfect balance of contrast and colors, and the color palette exhibits warm skin tones. I did not find any trace of DNR or edge enhancement. This video is definitely demo material for home theaters.


Audio:
For some reason, the "Crank 2" BD wouldn't play in my Sony Blu-ray player even though the player is updated with the latest firmware. For this reason, I played it on a PS3. The audio out on the PS3 was set to Linear PCM. Lionsgate has included a 7.1 DTS-HD MA audio stream on this disc. Being an action movie, sound plays a vital role in experiencing "Crank 2," and this DTS-HD MA audio stream delivers on all the fronts. The gunshots are heavy and vibrant. The midrange dialogue gets a boost. There are a lot of scenes in which all the channels are utilized to a full extent. Overall, a perfect image is equally supported by this competent audio stream.


Extras:
Disc 1:
Feature film
Audio commentary with writers/directors Neveldine andTaylor
"Crank'd Out" Bonus View Mode with cast and crew
Making-of documentary
"Crank 2: Take 2" featurette
Gag reel
"Wrap Party" featurette
Bookmarks & Blu-line Time Slider
Lionsgate Live (requires profile 2.0 player)
Disc 2:
Digital Copy


Conclusion:
"Crank 2: High Voltage" safely follows the template of "Crank." In fact, "Crank 2" is an extension of the somewhat unique concept of "Crank." In the process, however, it fails on a number of levels as compared to the original movie. The movie sucks you right in with its high energy and pace, but in the end it fails to deliver the knockout punch. "Crank 2" is not meant to be an exercise in filmmaking and rightly so. For action fans, this Blu-ray excels in both the audio and video departments. In the "Making of Crank 2" documentary, the director, Neveldine says, "We don't really understand Crank and but there are lot of sick people out there." The directors can count me out from that list of sick people.

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